Getting a 15" PB *Need Advice*

Well here is my story. I was going to get a 12" pb superdrive and then found out I was going to have more money to spend. I can't afford a 15" superdrive, but with my edu discount I can get within the range of a 15" 1.25 ghz combo. So about a week ago I order this pb knowing that there had been a few problems, but my thought were that people with perfect 15" pbs don't post too many threads about it. Now my college tells me that they will get my pb around nov. 10th which is reasonable, but I am getting worried about quality. I love the "15 but not if I am gonna gte a screen that may go sour someday. Shoudl I cancel my order and get the 12"? Maybe i am just being impatient but this is 2000, which for a college student is quite a bit of cash.

I was just as worried as you when I ordered my 15"Alu 1ghz PB. My worry was unnecessary as it turned out to be fast, cool, no dead pixels and no warped screen and the latch is fine. I can't speak for everyone but my PB is an amazing machine with none of the 'widespread' problems reported.

I bought my 15" AL Powerbook the day they came out from my local Mac store. I used it extensively for work the first month I owned it and now use it for fun...I have never had one problem! The latch is only tricky if you try and slam the lid shut...just be gentle and everything is glorious. I highly reccomend the 15"...
-floorbum

Originally posted by floorbum The latch is only tricky if you try and slam the lid shut...just be gentle and everything is glorious. I highly reccomend the 15"...
-floorbum

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That's odd. Yours seems to work in the opposite way of most people's, including mine. Anyways, the latch can be "fixed" by you anyway, just be careful. And if you get a bum screen (getting less and less likely by the day I bet), call Apple ASAP. They've replaced every one that I know of so far.

Ok, i have both of these Powerbooks sitting right here in fromt of me.

I sit and stare at them trying to figure out which one to keep!

Of course many would say that this is a strange situation to find yourself in, but I am never one to screw around, so here I sit....screwing around.

The Alu screen is quite different from the Ti, if screen contrast is of importance to you then the Ti is better, right off.

For some reason Apple decided to go with a lesser screen and this might have something to do with some of the issues that have been coming up with their screens.

Battery life is incredible bad when you consider that this is a laptop. The Ti is far better in battery use.

Speed, I have done all the usual real life tests, no benchmarks because I don't care about that, I care about real usage.

And I do not see any difference in Photoshop, in launching apps, in iTunes, etc.

Considering that the ALU cost quite a bit more, its strange that there is no noticeable speed increase, so I find the above article to be quite accurate.

The few real differences are this.
The Alu has very little fan noise, if the damn thing ever comes on, thats the good news, I love that, the bad is that the laptop gets hot, the heat is disapated over the entire ALU body so the palm rests can get a bit uncomfortable to those that are sensitive to such things.

The Ti gets hot in other areas, plastic palm rests to not conduct heat as well.

But the Ti has quite an aggressive fan and its not the most quite fan in the world.

I think it comes down to heat vs fan noise and the screens contrast ratios.
If you are doing art work then this be very important. If not and you will use it mainly for school or surfing and typing then the ALU would be it, if the additional costs mean nothing to you and you dig the ALU style.

Because there is no speed difference tween the two. Yes, I know that logic or the number crunchers would disagree with me. But i think that I finally understand that why all the Benchmarks etc, mean so little, most of the time.

Personally, i find the Ti a classic, and think that it will one day be very valuable.
Its cheaper than the ALU which still has alot of bugs and the Ti makes a great "WAITER" till the G5 powerbooks arrive.

Which we will ALL want, of course.
God only know what they will look like.
But i think that APPLE will reinvent the laptop, yet once agian for this magic incarnation.

SAve the extra bucks to spend on it when it arrives in about a year or so.

Well I think I am gonna stick with the "15, which is getting tougher because I wouldn't mind a superdive, which I could afford with a 12". Though I must admit I looked at the "15 and 12" PB side by side today and the screens are like night and day. The 12" is lovely but the screen really is tiny.
As for th guy comparing a Alu 15" to a tibook, I wouldn't even consider the tiBook. I need really good reception for my G network at home, plus I am too much of a perfectionist to deal with a laptop that has paint chipping of it.

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